Content rendering control system and method

Abstract

A system and method for controlling of rendering of content via electronic networks, whereby content is rendered at a content page only when and to the extent that a pre-defined area of the content page is within the viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position, or within a pre-defined distance outside of said browser window dimensions and scrolling position. When a viewer accesses a content page and as the viewer scrolls up or down or left or right on the page, or increases or decreases the dimensions of the viewer's browser window, content that has been designated to render in the content page area corresponding to the viewer's then current browser window dimensions and scrolling position is rendered. Content relating to areas of the content page that are not within (or within such pre-defined distance from) the viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position unless or until such area is within such browser window dimensions and scrolling position or said pre-defined distance outside of same.

1 . A system for controlling the rendering of content via an electronic communications network at a designated content rendering area of a content page to one or more viewers having a network communications device with a browser software application with adjustable window dimensions and scrolling position, for perceiving content pages within said browser's window dimensions and scrolling position, comprising:
 a system-end computer equipped and configured for communications via said electronic communications network, including one or more computer processing units and means for, communicating with one or more content pages that have one or more of said content rendering areas and one or more content page triggering areas on said pages, and a system server including a database that stores one or more records containing data pertaining to said one or more content pages, said one or more content page triggering areas, said one or more content page rendering areas and said one or more content files,   one or more content file servers which house one or more content files,   one or more network communications interface software applications for receiving from system users data designating one or more content pages, one or more content page rendering areas within said one or more content pages, one or more content page triggering areas that, when determined to be within a content page viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position, will result in content being rendered in said content page rendering area, and one or more content files for rendering at said one or more designated content rendering areas of said one or more content pages; and for creating a record, for storage in said system server database, that contains said data, assigning an identification code to said data record and generating a tag/link to be placed on said one or more content pages, said tag/link including a reference to said data record identification code and a link to a system custom software application; and   one or more system custom software applications for generating and writing to said designated content page a correlator code to determine when said designated content page triggering area is within a content viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position, for dynamically generating HTML code to be used as a marker for said designated content page rendering area, and for communicating with said correlator code to cause said one or more content files to be rendered in said one or more content page rendering areas when said correlator code detects that said designated content page triggering area is within said content viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said system software applications further include a content rendering module software application that is embedded at said specified content page rendering area when said correlator code determines that said specified content page triggering area is within the dimensions and scrolling position of said viewer's browser window and communicates with said one or more content servers to retrieve and render content files at said specified content page rendering area. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said correlator code retrieves content rendering activity data from said viewer's browser, and further comprising a tracking server for communicating with said correlator code at said content page and said system server for storage of content rendering activity data. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said content rendering module receives content rendering activity data from said correlator code and further comprising a tracking server for communicating with said content rendering module at said content page and said system server for storage of said content rendering activity data. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said content rendering activity data is sent from said content rendering module to said system server via file server direct connection communication. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said content rendering activity data is sent from said content rendering module to said tracking server via file server direct connection communication. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more content page rendering areas within said one or more content pages and said one or more content page triggering areas are the same areas. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said content page triggering area has positional coordinates, said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position have positional coordinates, and said correlator code determines when said designated content page triggering area is within a content viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position by determining whether there is correspondence between the positional coordinates of said content page triggering area and the positional coordinates of said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said network comprises one or more networks selected from the group consisting of local area computer networks, wide area computer networks, the Internet, cable communications networks, satellite communications networks, television frequency networks, radio frequency communications networks, powerline communications networks and cellular communications networks. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more content files to be rendered in said one or more content page areas are rendered when the said designated content page triggering area is partially within said content viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more software applications for compilation and presentation of reports pertaining to content rendering activity data with respect to said one or more content page rendering areas of said one or more content pages. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said reports pertaining to content rendering activity data further comprise reports comparing content rendering activity at content page rendering areas located within the same content page. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said content page rendering areas within said same content page that are compared in said reports comprise one or more areas selected from the group consisting of the top of said content page, above the fold of said content page, below the fold of said content page and the bottom of said content page. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said reports comprise data pertaining to how long said content was rendered to said viewer at said content page rendering area. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said reports comprise data pertaining to the number of said viewers to whom said content was rendered at said content page rendering area. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said reports comprise data pertaining to the geographic location of said viewers to whom said content was rendered at said content page area. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said reports comprise data pertaining to browser versions used by said viewers to whom said content was rendered at said content page area. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said reports comprise data pertaining to how may times said content was rendered to said viewers at said content page rendering area. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said reports comprise data pertaining to viewer click activity with respect to said content rendered to said viewers at said content page rendering area. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more system custom software applications further comprise means for creating a unique identification code that is assigned to each content viewer/browser. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said means for creating a unique identification code that is assigned to each content viewer/browser comprises said correlator code. 
     
     
         22 . A method for controlling the rendering of content via an electronic communication network on a content page rendering area of a content page based on determination of when a pre-defined area of said content page is within the browser window dimensions and scrolling position of a viewer's browser window, comprising the steps of:
 designating one or more content pages, one or more content page areas and one or more content files, said content files being previously stored in electronic file format in a mass storage device of a computer system for rendering at said one or more designated content page areas of said one or more content pages;   storing as a record within a database data pertaining to said one or more content pages, said one or more content page rendering areas and said one or more content files;   generating and placing on said one or more designated content pages a tag/link that when activated by a content page viewer request for said designated content page, links to a system server-side application and retrieves, via said server-side application, data from said record stored in said system server-side database and data pertaining to said viewer and viewer browser from said content page request;   generating and writing a correlator code to said one or more designated content pages which determines whether said one or more designated content rendering areas of said one or more designated content pages is within said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position and generates an HTML layer to serve as a marker for said one or more designated content page areas where said one or more designated content files are to be rendered;   generating a query string and link for placement at said one or more content pages, which when activated by said correlator code based on detection that one of said one or more designated content page areas is within the dimensions and scrolling position of said viewer's browser window, dynamically generates HTML codes and tags to render said one or more designated content files in said one or more content page rendering areas of said one or more content pages.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of designating one or more content page triggering areas which are different from said one or more content page rendering areas, which when within said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position, trigger rendering of said one or more content files at said one or more content page rendering areas. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said electronic communications network comprises one or more networks selected from the group consisting of local area computer networks, wide area computer networks, the Internet, cable communications networks, satellite communications networks, television frequency networks, radio frequency networks, powerline communications networks and cellular communications networks. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said one or more content files to be rendered in said one or more content page areas are rendered when the said designated content page triggering area is partially within said content viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of compiling and presenting reports pertaining to content rendering activity data with respect to said one or more content page rendering areas of said one or more content pages. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of compiling and presenting reports further comprises comparing content rendering activity at content page rendering areas located within the same content page. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said content page rendering areas within said same content page comprise one or more areas selected from the group consisting of the top of said content page, above the fold of said content page, below the fold of said content page and the bottom of said content page. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of compiling and presenting reports further comprises compiling and presenting data pertaining to how long said content was rendered to said viewer at said content page rendering area. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of compiling and presenting reports further comprises compiling and presenting data pertaining to the number of said viewers to whom said content was rendered at said content page rendering area. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of compiling and presenting reports further comprises compiling and presenting data pertaining to the geographic location of said viewers to whom said content was rendered at said content page area. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of compiling and presenting reports further comprises compiling and presenting data pertaining to browser versions used by said viewers to whom said content was rendered at said content page area. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of compiling and presenting reports further comprises compiling and presenting data pertaining to how may times said content was rendered to said viewers at said content page rendering area. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of compiling and presenting reports further comprises compiling and presenting data pertaining to viewer click through activity with respect to said content rendered to said viewers at said content page rendering area. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of creating and assigning a unique identification code to each content viewer/browser. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said step of creating and assigning said unique identification code to each content viewer/browser is accomplished by said correlator code. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein said step of creating and assigning said unique identification code to each content viewer/browser is accomplished by said system server-side application. 
     
     
         38 . A system for the control of content rendering via an electronic communications network at one or more content pages having one or more content page rendering areas, to one or more content page viewers having means for communicating via said electronic communications network and having a browser with one or more window dimensions and scrolling positions, comprising:
 a system-end computer equipped and configured for network communications, including one or more computer processors and communicating with said one or more content pages and a server including a database that stores one or more records containing parameters and commands for rendering one or more content files at one or more specified content rendering areas of said one or more content pages,   one or more network communications interface software applications for interfacing with system users and for creating a record in said server database that contains parameters and commands to retrieve, assemble and display said one or more content files at said one or more designated content rendering areas, and   one or more system software applications for generating code for placement at said designated one or more content pages which, when one of said content page rendering areas is within the dimensions and scrolling position of said viewer's browser screen, causes said parameter and command record for said content page rendering area to be activated, thereby retrieving said content files and assembling and displaying said content at said content rendering area and retrieving from said viewer's browser data pertaining to said content rendering activity.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising a tracking server communicating with said content page and said system server for storage of said content rendering data retrieved from said viewer's browser and said content page. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein said one or more content page rendering areas each have positional coordinates and said viewer's one or more browser window dimensions and scrolling positions each have positional coordinates, and said code is written to said content page and determines whether said positional coordinates of said content page rendering area correspond with said positional coordinates of said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position, and triggers content rendering at said content rendering area when said correspondence is determined to exist. 
     
     
         41 . A system for controlling the rendering of content via an electronic communications network at a designated content rendering area of a content page to one or more viewers having a network communications device with a browser software application with adjustable window dimensions and scrolling position, for perceiving content pages within said browser's window dimensions and scrolling position, comprising:
 a system-end computer equipped and configured for communications via said electronic communications network, including one or more computer processing units and means for communicating with one or more content pages that have one or more of said content rendering areas and one or more content page triggering areas on said pages, and a system server including a database that stores one or more records containing data pertaining to said one or more content pages, said one or more content page triggering areas, said one or more content page rendering areas and said one or more content files,   one or more content file servers which house one or more content files,   one or more network communications interface software applications for receiving from system users data designating one or more content pages, one or more content page rendering areas within said one or more content pages, one or more content page triggering areas that, when determined to be within a pre-defined distance outside of a content page viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position, will result in content being rendered in said content page rendering area, and one or more content files for rendering at said one or more designated content rendering areas of said one or more content pages; and for creating a record, for storage in said system server database, that contains said data, assigning an identification code to said data record and generating a tag/link to be placed on said one or more content pages, said tag/link including a reference to said data record identification code and a link to a system custom software application; and   one or more system custom software applications for generating and writing to said designated content page a correlator code to determine when said designated content page triggering area is within said pre-defined distance outside of a content viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position, for dynamically generating HTML code to be used as a marker for said designated content page rendering area, and for communicating with said correlator code to cause said one or more content files to be rendered in said one or more content page rendering areas when said correlator code detects that said designated content page triggering area is within said pre-defined distance outside of said content viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said system software applications further include a content rendering module software application that is embedded at said specified content page rendering area and which communicates with said system server and said correlator code and which, when said specified content page triggering area is within said pre-defined distance outside of the dimensions and scrolling position of said viewer's browser window, causes said content files to be retrieved from said one or more content servers and rendered at said specified content page rendering area. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said one or more content page rendering areas within said one or more content pages and said one or more content page triggering areas are the same areas. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said correlator code retrieves content rendering activity data from said viewer's browser and said content page, and further comprising a tracking server for communicating with said content page and said system server for storage of said content rendering activity data retrieved from said viewer's browser and said content page. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 42 , further comprising a tracking server for communicating with said content page and said system server for storage of content rendering activity data retrieved from said viewer's browser and said content page. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein said content rendering activity data is sent from said content rendering module to said system server via file server direct connection communication. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein said content rendering activity data is sent from said content rendering module to said tracking server via file server direct connection communication. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said content page triggering area has positional coordinates, said pre-defined distance outside said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position has positional coordinates, and said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position have positional coordinates, and said correlator code determines when said designated content page triggering area is within said pre-defined distance outside of a content viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position by determining whether there is correspondence between the positional coordinates of said content page triggering area and the positional coordinates of said area that is said pre-defined distance outside said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said network comprises one or more networks selected from the group consisting of local area computer networks, wide area computer networks, the Internet, cable communications networks, satellite communications networks, television frequency networks, radio frequency communications networks, powerline communications networks and cellular communications networks. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising one or more software applications for compilation and presentation of reports pertaining to content rendering activity data with respect to said one or more content page rendering areas of said one or more content pages. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein said content rendering activity data retrieved via said correlator code comprises data pertaining to content rendering activity at content page rendering areas located within the same content page. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein said content page rendering areas within said same content page comprise one or more areas selected from the group consisting of the top of said content page, above the fold of said content page, below the fold of said content page and the bottom of said content page. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein said content rendering activity data retrieved via said correlator code comprises one or more of the data selected from the group consisting of how long said content was rendered to said viewer at said content page rendering area, the number of said viewers to whom said content was rendered at said content page rendering area, the geographic location of said viewers to whom said content was rendered at said content page area, browser versions used by said viewers to whom said content was rendered at said content page area, how may times said content was rendered to said viewers at said content page rendering area, and viewer click activity with respect to said content rendered to said viewers at said content page rendering area. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein said one or more system custom software applications further comprise means for creating a unique identification code that is assigned to each content viewer/browser. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein said means for creating a unique identification code that is assigned to each content viewer/browser comprises said correlator code. 
     
     
         56 . A method for controlling the rendering of content on a content page rendering area of a content page based on determination of when a pre-defined area of said content page is within a pre-defined distance outside of the browser window dimensions and scrolling position of a viewer's browser window via an electronic communications network, comprising the steps of:
 designating one or more content pages, one or more content page areas and one or more content files, said content files being previously stored in electronic file format in a mass storage device of a computer system for rendering at said one or more designated content page areas of said one or more content pages;   storing as a record within a system-side database data pertaining to said one or more content pages, said one or more content page rendering areas and said one or more content files;   generating and placing at said one or more designated content pages a tag/link that when activated by a content page viewer request for said designated content page, links to a system server-side application and retrieves, via said server-side application, data from said record stored in said system server-side database and data pertaining to said viewer and viewer browser from said content page request;   generating and writing a correlator code to said one or more designated content pages which determines whether said one or more designated content rendering areas of said one or more designated content pages is within a pre-defined distance outside of said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position and generates an HTML layer to serve as a marker for said one or more designated content page areas where said one or more designated content files are to be rendered;   generating a query string and link for placement at said one or more content pages, which when activated by said correlator code based on detection that one of said one or more designated content page areas is within said pre-defined distance outside of the dimensions and scrolling position of said viewer's browser window, dynamically generates HTML codes and tags to render said one or more designated content files in said one or more content page rendering areas of said one or more content pages.   
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , further comprising the step of designating one or more content page triggering areas which are different from said one or more content page rendering areas, which when within said pre-defined distance outside of said viewer's browser window dimensions and scrolling position, trigger rendering of said one or more content files at said one or more content page rendering areas. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 56 , further comprising the step of compiling and presenting reports pertaining to content rendering activity data with respect to said one or more content page rendering areas of said one or more content pages. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 56 , further comprising the step of creating and assigning a unique identification code to each content viewer/browser. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein said step of creating and assigning said unique identification code to each content viewer/browser is accomplished by said correlator code. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein said step of creating and assigning said unique identification code to each content viewer/browser is accomplished by said system server-side application.